A computing system comprises graphics rendering logic and image processing logic. The graphics rendering logic processes graphics data to render an image using a rendering space which is sub-divided into a plurality of tiles. Cost indication logic obtains a cost indication for each of a plurality of sets of one or more tiles of the rendering space, wherein the cost indication for a set of one or more tiles is suggestive of a cost of processing rendered image values for a region of the rendered image corresponding to the set of one or more tiles. The image processing logic processes rendered image values for regions of the rendered image. The computing system causes the image processing logic to process rendered image values for regions of the rendered image in dependence on the cost indications for the corresponding sets of one or more tiles.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A computing system comprising: graphics rendering logic configured to process graphics data to render an image using a rendering space, the graphics rendering logic comprising cost indication logic configured to obtain a cost indication for each of a plurality of regions of the rendering space,; and image processing logic configured to process rendered image values for regions of the rendered image; wherein the computing system is configured to cause the image processing logic to process rendered image values for regions of the rendered image in dependence on the cost indications for the corresponding regions of the rendering space.
2. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the cost indication for a region of the rendering space is suggestive of a cost associated with processing rendered image values for a region of the rendered image corresponding to the region of the rendering space.
3. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the rendering space is sub-divided into a plurality of tiles, wherein the regions of the rendering space are sets of one or more tiles of the rendering space.
4. The computing system of claim 3 , wherein the sets of one or more tiles each comprise a single tile.
5. The computing system of claim 3 , wherein the sets of one or more tiles each comprise a plurality of tiles, and wherein the cost indication logic is configured to: obtain a respective cost indication for each of the tiles of a set of tiles; and determine the cost indication for the set of tiles based on the cost indications of the tiles within that set.
6. The computing system of claim 5 , wherein the cost indication logic is configured to determine the cost indication for a set of tiles by determining: (i) an average of the cost indications of the tiles within that set, (ii) a sum of the cost indications of the tiles within that set, (iii) a maximum of the cost indications of the tiles within that set, or (iv) a number of the tiles within that set which have cost indications above a threshold.
7. The computing system of claim 1 , further comprising control logic, implemented in one or both of the graphics rendering logic and the image processing logic, the control logic configured to cause the image processing logic to process rendered image values for regions of the rendered image in dependence on the cost indications for the corresponding regions of the rendering space.
8. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the cost indication for a region of the rendering space is based on one or more factors which influence a cost of processing rendered image values for a region of the rendered image corresponding to the region of the rendering space.
9. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the cost indication logic is configured to either: determine the cost indications for the regions of the rendering space; or receive the cost indications for the regions of the rendering space via an input.
10. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the cost indication logic is configured to quantise the cost indications.
11. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the graphics rendering logic comprises geometry processing logic and image rendering logic, wherein the geometry processing logic includes a tiling unit configured to generate control streams for tiles of the rendering space indicating which primitives are present in the tiles, wherein the cost indication logic is implemented as part of the geometry processing logic, and wherein the image rendering logic is configured to render primitives in tiles of the rendering space in accordance with the generated control streams.
12. The computing system of claim 11 , wherein the image rendering logic is further configured to modify the cost indications.
13. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is configured to cause the image processing logic to process rendered image values for regions of the rendered image in dependence on the cost indications for the corresponding regions of the rendering space by controlling one or both of: an order in which regions of the rendered image are processed by the image processing logic, and a level of quality with which regions of the rendered image are processed by the image processing logic.
14. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the image processing logic is configured to: receive the rendered image values for regions of the rendered image and the cost indications for the corresponding regions of the rendering space; and control the processing of the rendered image values for regions of the rendered image in dependence on the cost indications for the corresponding regions of the rendering space.
15. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the graphics rendering logic is configured to: determine an order in which regions of the rendered image are to be processed by the image processing logic in dependence on the cost indications for the corresponding regions of the rendering space; and cause the regions of the rendered image to be provided to the image processing logic in the determined order.
16. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the image processing logic comprises video encoding logic configured to encode the rendered image values for regions of the rendered image in dependence on the cost indications for the corresponding regions of the rendering space.
17. The computing system of claim 16 , wherein the video encoding logic is configured to: allocate budgets of data for the encoded regions of the rendered image in accordance with the cost indications for the corresponding regions of the rendering space; and encode the regions of the rendered image in accordance with the respective allocated budgets of data.
18. The computing system of claim 16 , wherein the video encoding logic is configured to: set quantisation parameters for encoding the regions of the rendered image in accordance with the cost indications for the corresponding regions of the rendering space; and encode the regions of the rendered image in accordance with the respective quantisation parameters.
19. A computer-implemented method of processing graphics data, the method comprising: processing graphics data to render an image using a rendering space, said processing of the graphics data comprising obtaining a cost indication for each of a plurality of regions of the rendering space; and processing rendered image values for regions of the rendered image in dependence on the cost indications for the corresponding regions of the rendering space, thereby determining a processed image.
20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer readable dataset description of an integrated circuit that, when processed in an integrated circuit manufacturing system, causes the integrated circuit manufacturing system to manufacture a computing system which comprises: graphics rendering logic configured to process graphics data to render an image using a rendering space, the graphics rendering logic comprising cost indication logic configured to obtain a cost indication for each of a plurality of regions of the rendering space; and image processing logic configured to process rendered image values for regions of the rendered image; wherein the computing system is configured to cause the image processing logic to process rendered image values for regions of the rendered image in dependence on the cost indications for the corresponding regions of the rendering space.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
July 10, 2019
January 26, 2021
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